I am not by any stretch of the imagination a clean freak. There are moments however, when the proverbial straw breaks the proverbial camel's back, and I begin to truly see just how much 'stuff' has acumulated over a given period of time. Although I don't much like it, and would prefer to sit on the couch with my Bible, or a good book, there are times when I bite the bullet and clean. This week, after having returned from Romania I noticed there wasn't any more space in my closet, and decided it was time to do a bit of cleaning.
I realize thus far this article seems mundane, but as I was pulling t-shirts, and neckties from underneath empty shoe boxes, I realized the spiritual implications of 'cleaning house'.
This could be a much longer article, but since I assume many of you value your time as much as I do, I will proceed with the highlight, the bare bones of the thoughts that were running through my head.
1. Just as a closet would, the human heart has a limited capacity, and we never realize just how much 'stuff' there is inside until we take the time and do an inventory, go through everything item by item and assess their worth and their necessity.
2. Only when we take a step back and see the full picture, are we awakened to the truth that some of the things in our closets, as well as our hearts, are truly worthless, and they only serve to clutter.
3. It's pointless to start cleaning house, whether literally or symbolically, if we've already decided we are unwilling to part with any of the things stored there.
4. Although our closets do not come with a cleaning service, every human heart does. It's a one man operation open year round, twenty four hours a day, and as an added bonus, it is free of charge. All we need to do is invite Him in, and let Him do what He does best, clean, purify, and prepare our vessel for the permanent resident that will shortly inhabit our hearts, namely the Holy Spirit.
5. Even though it may be hard at times, to part with the old stuff, the clutter of our hearts, the vices and habits that make us less than acceptable in His eyes, we must do so, knowing that the end result will be something pure, something clean, a place where the Son of God will feel welcome and at home.
With love in Christ,
Michael Boldea Jr.
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2 comments:
your priceless and an asset to the Kingdom of God..appreciate your sharing your humaness, it helps us all to examine ourselves brother
I'm really believing that the only way to clean out the heart and purify it is by prayer and fasting. That is the only way the heart can become really clean, swept, and able to become a real dwelling place for the Holy Spirit to live and work....through our bodies. At that point, we are so tight with the HOLY SPIRIT, that even a stray thought (forget actions altogether at this point because we get cleaned up beyond actions when we get to this point), is deeply convicted within our hearts via the Holy Spirit.
Unpossess (NO kidding) it (the soul)by prayer AND FASTING (THE ESSENTIAL KEY) and then He can come in and live FOR REAL, not just play (meaning in your mind). Having the "gifts" does not ensure salvation ~ people mistake such manifestations as an assurance of their salvation; for God says, "My gifts are w/o repentance."
In order to TRULY belong to HIM, we must be fully possessed by HIS SPIRIT in order for Him to live and work within us. And again, THE ONLY WAY IS TO GET TRULY CLEANED UP AND OUT IS BY FASTING AND PRAYER. Such people are the only ones who are truly "saved".
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